Pics of my full rig! at DVinfo.net

Patrick Janka · February 12th, 2011, 10:20 AM

I ordered the newly updated Straight Rig from Jag35, and couldn't be happier. The rig feels great, is solidly built, and they shipped it in record time for $20. I ordered an extra single rod clamp for the Zoom and an articulating arm for the wireless receiver, which mounted to the cheese plate shoulder pad. I thought about getting the monitor seperately, but by going through Jag35 you get a tripod plate, rod clamp, hdmi cable, battery, and power cable all included, which actually comes out cheaper. Now I'm waiting for Jag to release the anticipated D|Matte matte box to finish off the rig.

Brian Luce · February 12th, 2011, 02:02 PM

Very nice! Have any idea how much it weighs? Lots of discussion of tripods not having low enough minimum payload for the gh2, but maybe by the time a lot of us pile on all our goodies it's a moot point.

Patrick Janka · February 12th, 2011, 08:55 PM

not sure of the weight, but it's definitely weighty. heavier than my XHA1. A couple things I don't like. I can't access the battery compartment without taking the camera off the stand, which is a pain. Also, when panning the display on the monitor isn't smooth like in the lcd of the camera. Also, when I push record, all the screen data disappears on the external monitor, but it's still on the camera's lcd. I hope Panasonic updates the firmware to not do that.

Martyn Hull · February 13th, 2011, 07:27 AM

What mic is that,i take it you have to use an adaptor,i cant find one of these Hosa Technology GMP-467 - Right Angle Adapter GMP-467 B&H Photo and the adaptor i use with a small lead has been giving me a few problems ie the camera loses sound at times.

Patrick Janka · February 13th, 2011, 11:57 PM

Hey, Martyn, it's a Rode NTG-2, and it's plugged into the Zoom H4N, not the GH2. I sync in post. The NTG-2 takes a battery so that I don't have to use the Zoom's phantom power, which drains the battery of the unit faster.

Jon Braeley · February 14th, 2011, 07:27 AM

No one is asking the important question - is this balanced? It really looks impossible to achieve with all the stuff strapped on. Not trying to be negative. I see a lot of rigs like this and tried it myself and after 2 minutes I gave up. The front is just too heavy.
I filmed a few weeks ago with my shoulder rig. This was in China and was an all day shoot and this got very tiresome by late afternoon and I had the shoulder rig as light as I could go - no mattebox, no audio recording. I did use a follow focus, but even now I tend to take this off for 'all-day' on the go shoots. I go to remote locations and I am loathe to travel with balance weights so I keep the front of the rig as light as I can. A shoulder rig should float with little feeling of heaviness in the support hands.

Now I do record audio by myself sometimes and put my Tascam recorder and lav in my photo-jacket pockets or use a small bag with straps.

Jeff Harper · February 14th, 2011, 08:41 AM

Looks very nice, Martyn. Regarding battery power, I've ordered the Tekkeon unit MP3450 Tekkeon myPower ALL Plus MP3450, Provides up to 19V to Power and/or Charge Laptops and other Devices

and this

DMWDCC8 Panasonic DMW-DCC8 DC Coupler for DMC-GH2K Body-Only, DMC-GH2S Body-Only

Supposedly with these two units you are powered for a LONG time. I shoot weddings, and I cannot imagine having to remove my camera from it's mount every hour to change batteries.

If you don't shoot for extended periods in a run and gun situation, it wouldn't matter though.

I cannot vouch that it will work, as I haven't got the items yet, but it should work out fine. There is anexpensive battery mount made for the Tekkeon but I'm going to try and rig up something with velcro first.

Carlo Zanella · February 14th, 2011, 06:00 PM

Also, when I push record, all the screen data disappears on the external monitor, but it's still on the camera's lcd. I hope Panasonic updates the firmware to not do that.[/QUOTE]

Weird. it doesn't happen to me with the GH2 and the SmallHD DP6...When I click record I see the image on the external monitor just fine.

Carlo Zanella
The Santa Fe TV Show

February 12th, 2011, 10:20 AM	#1
Patrick Janka Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 623	Pics of my full rig! I ordered the newly updated Straight Rig from Jag35, and couldn't be happier. The rig feels great, is solidly built, and they shipped it in record time for $20. I ordered an extra single rod clamp for the Zoom and an articulating arm for the wireless receiver, which mounted to the cheese plate shoulder pad. I thought about getting the monitor seperately, but by going through Jag35 you get a tripod plate, rod clamp, hdmi cable, battery, and power cable all included, which actually comes out cheaper. Now I'm waiting for Jag to release the anticipated D\|Matte matte box to finish off the rig. Attached Thumbnails

February 14th, 2011, 08:41 AM	#7
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Looks very nice, Martyn. Regarding battery power, I've ordered the Tekkeon unit MP3450 Tekkeon myPower ALL Plus MP3450, Provides up to 19V to Power and/or Charge Laptops and other Devices and this DMWDCC8 Panasonic DMW-DCC8 DC Coupler for DMC-GH2K Body-Only, DMC-GH2S Body-Only Supposedly with these two units you are powered for a LONG time. I shoot weddings, and I cannot imagine having to remove my camera from it's mount every hour to change batteries. If you don't shoot for extended periods in a run and gun situation, it wouldn't matter though. I cannot vouch that it will work, as I haven't got the items yet, but it should work out fine. There is anexpensive battery mount made for the Tekkeon but I'm going to try and rig up something with velcro first. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 12th, 2011, 02:02 PM	#2
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Very nice! Have any idea how much it weighs? Lots of discussion of tripods not having low enough minimum payload for the gh2, but maybe by the time a lot of us pile on all our goodies it's a moot point.

February 12th, 2011, 08:55 PM	#3
Patrick Janka Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 623	not sure of the weight, but it's definitely weighty. heavier than my XHA1. A couple things I don't like. I can't access the battery compartment without taking the camera off the stand, which is a pain. Also, when panning the display on the monitor isn't smooth like in the lcd of the camera. Also, when I push record, all the screen data disappears on the external monitor, but it's still on the camera's lcd. I hope Panasonic updates the firmware to not do that.

February 13th, 2011, 07:27 AM	#4
Martyn Hull Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: England Posts: 444	What mic is that,i take it you have to use an adaptor,i cant find one of these Hosa Technology GMP-467 - Right Angle Adapter GMP-467 B&H Photo and the adaptor i use with a small lead has been giving me a few problems ie the camera loses sound at times.

February 13th, 2011, 11:57 PM	#5
Patrick Janka Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 623	Hey, Martyn, it's a Rode NTG-2, and it's plugged into the Zoom H4N, not the GH2. I sync in post. The NTG-2 takes a battery so that I don't have to use the Zoom's phantom power, which drains the battery of the unit faster.

February 14th, 2011, 07:27 AM	#6
Jon Braeley Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 528	No one is asking the important question - is this balanced? It really looks impossible to achieve with all the stuff strapped on. Not trying to be negative. I see a lot of rigs like this and tried it myself and after 2 minutes I gave up. The front is just too heavy. I filmed a few weeks ago with my shoulder rig. This was in China and was an all day shoot and this got very tiresome by late afternoon and I had the shoulder rig as light as I could go - no mattebox, no audio recording. I did use a follow focus, but even now I tend to take this off for 'all-day' on the go shoots. I go to remote locations and I am loathe to travel with balance weights so I keep the front of the rig as light as I can. A shoulder rig should float with little feeling of heaviness in the support hands. Now I do record audio by myself sometimes and put my Tascam recorder and lav in my photo-jacket pockets or use a small bag with straps.

February 14th, 2011, 06:00 PM	#8
Carlo Zanella Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico Posts: 216	Also, when I push record, all the screen data disappears on the external monitor, but it's still on the camera's lcd. I hope Panasonic updates the firmware to not do that.[/QUOTE] Weird. it doesn't happen to me with the GH2 and the SmallHD DP6...When I click record I see the image on the external monitor just fine. Carlo Zanella The Santa Fe TV Show